The enzyme from the bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum is part of the central fermentation pathway and plays a key role in the production of both acids and solvents. It is specific for short, C4-C6, chain length substrates and exhibits an extremely high turnover number for crotonyl-CoA. cf. EC 4.2.1.17, enoyl-CoA hydratase and EC 4.2.1.74, long-chain-enoyl-CoA hydratase.
Cloning, sequencing, and expression of clustered genes encoding beta-hydroxybutyryl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase, crotonase, and butyryl-CoA dehydrogenase from Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824.